HF4246

Purpose

• Designate and protect a Core Moose Range within Minnesota to prioritize moose management, restoration, and ecosystem health.
• Create a Moose CoStewardship Committee to guide planning, monitoring, and decisions about moose in the Core Moose Range, using both scientific data and Indigenous knowledge.
• Establish a Moose Restoration and Research Account funded by license revenue to support moose research, habitat restoration, monitoring, and committee activities.
• Provide rulemaking authority and annual reporting to oversee moose management and funding changes.

Main Provisions

• Moose season and license rules (amending 97B.505):

  • The commissioner may set a bull-only moose season and determine open areas and conditions for taking moose.
  • Harvest quotas can be approved only after:
  • population size, survival, and recruitment thresholds are met;
  • habitat indices indicate sustained capacity; and
  • the Moose CoStewardship Committee approves the harvest quota.
  • Harvest quotas must be reviewed annually by Tribal biologists in coordination with Department of Natural Resources biologists.
  • The commissioner may establish processes for awarding moose licenses, including lotteries and auctions.

• Core Moose Range and governance (creating 97B.512):

  • Subdivision 1 — Core Moose Range designation: The 1854 Ceded Territory is designated as Minnesota’s Core Moose Range, with moose treated as a priority species within this area.
  • Subdivision 2 — Moose CoStewardship Committee: The committee must include representatives from the Department of Natural Resources; the 1854 Treaty Authority; the Grand Portage Band, Fond du Lac Band, and Bois Forte Band of Chippewa; federal land management agencies; conservation organizations; and the timber/forestry industry.
  • Subdivision 3 — Duties: The committee must develop and maintain a management plan, coordinate habitat restoration and monitoring, review population data and harvest recommendations annually, and ensure decisions reflect the best available science and Indigenous knowledge.
  • Subdivision 4 — Moose restoration and research account: A dedicated account is created in the game and fish fund. Revenue from moose licenses, auctions, and lotteries goes into this account and is used for:
  • moose research;
  • habitat restoration and enhancement;
  • moose monitoring; and
  • expenses of the Moose CoStewardship Committee and related activities.
  • Subdivision 5 — Annual report: By January 15 each year, the commissioner must report to legislative chairs and ranking minority members on moose population trends, habitat restoration outcomes, economic impacts, and cost-stewardship activities.

• Funding transfer (Section 3):

  • In fiscal year 2027, a one-time transfer from the general fund will be made to the moose habitat restoration and research account.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a formal process for a bull-only moose season tied to specific population, habitat, and committee-approval thresholds.
• Establishes the Core Moose Range in the 1854 Ceded Territory and prioritizes moose within that area.
• Creates the Moose CoStewardship Committee with diverse representation, including tribal authorities and federal agencies, to guide moose management.
• Requires alignment of land, forest, wildlife, and climate policies within the Core Moose Range to support moose restoration and ecosystem health.
• Creates a dedicated Moose Restoration and Research Account funded by license revenue, with explicit expenditures for research, restoration, monitoring, and committee costs.
• Introduces annual reporting to legislators and a one-time fiscal transfer to support initial restoration and research efforts.

Implementation and Oversight

• Rulemaking authority is granted to the commissioner to establish the bull-only season, harvest quotas, and license distribution methods (including lotteries and auctions).
• Annual joint quota reviews by tribal biologists and DNR biologists are required.
• An annual report to legislative leadership is required, detailing population trends, habitat outcomes, economic effects, and cost-share activities.

Potential Impacts

• Conservation benefit: firmer framework for moose restoration and habitat improvement within the Core Moose Range.
• Collaborative governance: formal involvement of tribal authorities, federal agencies, conservation groups, and industry.
• Funding stream: dedicated account funding moose research, habitat work, and monitoring, potentially increasing resources for moose management.
• Regulatory changes: new rules for hunting seasons and license allocation could affect hunting opportunities and revenue use.

Implementation Considerations

• Coordination among multiple jurisdictions and stakeholders (tribal governments, state agencies, federal agencies, conservation groups, and industry).
• Ensuring licensing processes (lotteries/auctions) are fair and transparent.
• Monitoring and adapting population and habitat data to adjust quotas and policies over time.

Relevant Terms

• Core Moose Range
• Moose CoStewardship Committee
• Moose restoration and research account
• 1854 Ceded Territory
• bull-only moose season
• harvest quota
• Tribal biologists
• Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
• 1854 Treaty Authority
• Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
• Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
• Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
• Pollution Control Agency
• Board of Water and Soil Resources
• Environmental Quality Board
• moose licenses
• lotteries
• auctions
• best available science
• Indigenous knowledge
• moose population trends
• habitat restoration and Monitoring
• costewardship activities
• general fund transfer
• fiscal year 2027 (FY2027)